Missouri chief justice urges new methods to fight crime

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri Chief Justice William Ray Price has repeated his call for new crime-fighting strategies that use alternative sentencing programs to keep people from committing crimes again.

Price told a joint legislative session Wednesday that Missouri imprisons too many nonviolent offenders. He says alternative sentencing programs such as drug and drunken driving courts can be cheaper and more effective at reducing recidivism.

Price delivered a similar message last year during his annual State of the Judiciary speech.

The chief justice also defended Missouri's system of selecting appeals court and trial judges in some urban areas.

Critics of that system have argued that it is too secretive and gives attorneys too much power. They have proposed a constitutional amendment to make some changes.